Saturday, February 24, 2018

Book Review: 'Beyond Benzos' by Taite Adams

Author Taite Adams, the only child of an Air Force navigator and schoolteacher grew up in the `military brat' fashion, with no grounding roots. By age 20, she was an alcoholic, drug addict and self-proclaimed egomaniac. Pain is a great motivator, as is jail, and she eventually got sober and has found peace and joy in this life beyond measure. Now she writes books on addiction and recovery and finding spiritual direction in life. Her books include KICKSTART YOUR RECOVERY, OPIATE ADDICTION, E-GO, RESTART YOUR RECOVERY, WHO IS MOLLY?, SAFELY DETOX FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUGS AT HOME, and now BEYOND BENZOS. The lady clearly knows her territory and has helped many patients with drug dependency problems.

Taite opens her Preface with the following: ‘Termed by some as the world's deadliest pill, the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines are on the cusp of racing past opiates to earn the label as this nation's most widely abused class of drugs. With over 150 million prescriptions written annually in the U.S. alone for such popular drugs as Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, and Valium, benzo addiction has reached epidemic proportions in this country and many are still not willing to give it the press it deserves, etc.’ She then proceeds to offer an excellent pharmacologic discussion about all the members of the benzo family – their names and prescribed uses – the history of their introduction into the medical field, their popularity with the Big Pharma scheme, the abuses in prescribing by physicians and the subsequent addiction by many people to their use.

Carefully and completely she discusses all aspects of the metamorphosis from valid use, to cross reaction, to dependency and on to addiction, and then follows this informative discussion with the facts of withdrawal and detoxification. As the synopsis states, ‘Benzodiazepine addiction is something that is inherently difficult to treat because of the stigma attached to it, the often unresolved underlying issues, and the difficulty of benzo withdrawal. Beyond Benzos can help. Written as a guide to benzodiazepine addiction and recovery by someone who has been there, these drugs and the steps needed to break free from them are dissected at every level.’

Once again Taite Adams has provided a valuable and much need book on a problem that is becoming epidemic. And she offers a solution! Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, September 15

Editor's note: This review has been published with the permission of Grady Harp.Like what you read? Subscribe to the SFRB's free daily email notice so you can be up-to-date on our latest articles. Scroll up this page to the sign-up field on your right.